aliens

Author Topic: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}  (Read 23031 times)

Offline Quinch

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #15 on: October 09, 2015, 05:23:28 am »
Upload failed  8)

Yeah, can't figure out what the problem is - I might have to hassle the portal admin to see why it won't show.

Since tftd is set in the future, futuristic weapin design would fit better, hence i suggest to plunder sprites from dioxine's piratex extended (only "fancy" stuff). Another example may be this post of the dioxine's airlight garage and gifty' garage

Yeah, I wish I could make the text scrollable - word has it it can be done, but I have no idea how.

Anyway, in lieu of the mod page, the current description;
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Currently implemented:

X-COM historical and background UFOpedia entries {incomplete}

OXC's expanded gauss arsenal resources

To Do:

Balance, balance, balance!

Adjust alien armors to account for Gauss' switch to AP category.

Rename Aqua Plastics, Zrbite, Learning Arrays.

Implement tyran_nick's Moray Sub mod.

Expand alien ranks in preparation for research tree rework.

Early access flying suits.

Advanced to-do stuff

Implement MiBs and electric weapons {that's going to take some doing}

Switch alien subs to archetype system - multiple subs with identical outlines but different weapons, interiors and crew loadouts.

Storyline and alien background rewrite.

Offline Dioxine

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #16 on: October 09, 2015, 07:35:27 pm »
Yeah, can't figure out what the problem is - I might have to hassle the portal admin to see why it won't show.

Don't even bother with him, just re-upload - the upload engine he's using sometimes creates bugged links.

Offline XOps

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #17 on: October 09, 2015, 11:02:32 pm »
Just keep re-uploading until one sticks. Also, nice to see the Expanded Gauss weapons are already finding use. I'll have some new armors and a new craft down the road. The armors are 90% finished. I'm just too lazy to add the last few remaining art assets and then tie everything together with code.  :P

Offline Quinch

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2015, 06:40:20 pm »
Small update.

Version 0.21 (2015-10-10)
-------------------------
Changes:
- Swapped all armor resistances between type 1 {AP} and 4 {Gauss}
- Renamed Aqua Plastics to Tritonium, Zrbite to Uridium, Learning Arrays to Neural Interface
- Added ufopedia entry for neural interface
- Added an actual changelog

Offline shinr

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #19 on: October 11, 2015, 09:24:07 pm »
The Historical section of X-COM origins doesn't match with any canon material that I know of (not counting XCOM2012) beyond the basics, and why move the timeline of UFO up to 2017?

Offline Cristao

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #20 on: October 12, 2015, 09:21:52 am »
Here is a fluff only idea:

USOPaedia pages for the new tech will have shorts excerpts at the beginning in the style of Alpha Centauri quotes (related question: if there is no space for additional text, is it possible to make the text scroll-able or have the page have sub-pages of its own?)

Example (Tentaculat Autopsy):
"When the aquanauts made first contact with this specimen, the terrorist-type auxiliary unit now commonly referred as Tentaculat despite my objections, they initially though it to be specialized in molecular control thanks to its appearance resembling that of a large brain, and the soldiers changed their tactics based on this assumption. The first sign of disaster came when instead of conducting MC attacks, the specimen swam towards them at alarming speed, and before anyone could react it latched onto Ensign Hans with its tentacles before piercing him with what we latter will know as an ovipositor. The Specimen took a disturbing amount of punishment before it expired, and by then it was already too late, for the poor Ensign was already, excuse me for using such a term, "zombified". We were all raised on the Chryssalid horror stories, so I don't have tell you what happened next.
-X-COM Senior Scientist Prokhor Zakharov, "Complied Commentaries on The Second Alien War"

Interesting choice of name .. Zakharov...

Offline Quinch

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #21 on: October 12, 2015, 08:59:43 pm »
The Historical section of X-COM origins doesn't match with any canon material that I know of (not counting XCOM2012) beyond the basics, and why move the timeline of UFO up to 2017?

There's going to be a lot of historical revisionism - the main reason for moving the date, though, is simply because I think it makes more sense for UFO to take place in the future.

Offline Dioxine

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #22 on: October 12, 2015, 10:50:43 pm »
There's going to be a lot of historical revisionism - the main reason for moving the date, though, is simply because I think it makes more sense for UFO to take place in the future.

Better move it to 2020, considering the scope of your mod, or it will be outdated before you finish it :3

Offline Yankes

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #23 on: October 12, 2015, 11:42:49 pm »
Better move it to 2020, considering the scope of your mod, or it will be outdated before you finish it :3
Like Dioxine's mod as example, safe date could be 2601. :D

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #24 on: October 18, 2015, 08:19:31 pm »
OK, first of all, this looks like a must have for my next playthrough of TFTD! (And my first OpenTFTD.)

Shaped charges - rework the proximity mines to have higher damage, but only one square damage radius {making it possible for aliens to step out of range, depending on the placement}



Mines just detonate. I don't know what system you had in mind, but I don't believe we can do anything close to what you described.
and hullbuster charges, likewise with one square radius, high weight {i.e. a rookie would have to drag it along, nevermind throwing} and size and enough power to break through ship walls for alternative entrances.

That's an old idea, and I have nothing against it. Would probably be unreasonable in X-Com 1, but after all it's the future...

Also, the usuals, like sniper rifles and shotguns.

Can you set a weapon to surface only? I'm a total n00b when it comes to OpenTFTD.

One pivotal concept I'm uncertain about is accuracy - it's possible to snipe enemies from one end of the map to another, but it's also possible to miss a point-blank shot. What I'm considering is cranking up the accuracy for all weapons into triple digits, but also forcing much shorter ranges {depending on the weapon role}, which would make close-quarters combat a lot more initiative-based, but also nerf long-range sniping with inappropriate weapons. Thoughts?

Oh Great Dreamer, no. That's a crazy solution to a nonexistent problem.

Just... try shooting an enemy which is 1 metre from you and actively trying to kill you, and we'll see if you hit. :P And that's even before reminding that even though X-Com is a turn-based ame, it represents real-time action, so there's always a lot of moving around, especially at clase quarters.

OXC's gauss arsenal has been implemented, though with a lot of rewriting and balance changes. I've also added two new gauss craft weapons, essentially capacity-upgraded versions of Ajax and DUP.

Cool!

Gauss weapons have also been changed to damage type 1 {armor piercing} from the original 4 [gauss/laser}, both because it makes sense narratively, the only weapons currently using it are store-bought peashooters and because I want to use type 4 for MiB's electric weapons down the line. It also means I'll have to tweak enemy units' armors as a result, though.

Excellent decision.

And finally, there's a couple of cheat objects in the mod that I put in just for the sake of testing - you can use them or don't, it's up to you. I think I have the bugs hammered out, so I'm looking forward to actual field testing. If there are weapons you stick with because they're clearly better than others, or ones you don't because you consider them useless, let me know.

Hmmm... OK :)

Here is a fluff only idea:

USOPaedia pages for the new tech will have shorts excerpts at the beginning in the style of Alpha Centauri quotes (related question: if there is no space for additional text, is it possible to make the text scroll-able or have the page have sub-pages of its own?)

I'd love that, but there's no way of making the text scrollable. The best I can suggest is making two separate pages that are both unlocked.

Interesting choice of name .. Zakharov...

As Quinch mentioned Alpha Centauri, it's a name of a scientist from the same game.

Actually, this could be the same person in an alternate reality - in Alpha Centauri, the aliens never attacked. Or at least not in 1999, because at some point in Alpha Centauri's timeline, the Earth goes silent...

Finally, may I ask if you plan to move sonic weapons further down the research tree? They're almost as easy to obtain as plasmas in X-Com 1...

Offline Quinch

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #25 on: October 19, 2015, 09:11:13 am »

Mines just detonate. I don't know what system you had in mind, but I don't believe we can do anything close to what you described.
I'm not committed to it, but the idea is that the proxy mines are semi-shaped, trying to focus the damage on the immediate vicinity. It's also a gameplay concern, because with weapon range nerfs, there's even more pressure to rely on explosives early in the game.

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Can you set a weapon to surface only? I'm a total n00b when it comes to OpenTFTD.
Doesn't seem like it. Yet.

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Oh Great Dreamer, no. That's a crazy solution to a nonexistent problem.

Just... try shooting an enemy which is 1 metre from you and actively trying to kill you, and we'll see if you hit. :P And that's even before reminding that even though X-Com is a turn-based ame, it represents real-time action, so there's always a lot of moving around, especially at clase quarters.
Well, for a trained soldier, odds are pretty good. I did crank down the accuracy, but also TU cost.

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As Quinch mentioned Alpha Centauri, it's a name of a scientist from the same game.
Heh, I wasn't the one who mentioned it, but I'm familiar with the reference. University is my favorite faction to play - less focus on expansion, more focus in vertical development and defense.

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Finally, may I ask if you plan to move sonic weapons further down the research tree? They're almost as easy to obtain as plasmas in X-Com 1...

They will be locked behind some capture-based research, but not much. What will happen {eventually} is that they will be usable, but cannot be manufactured. What can {maybe, if I can get some sprite resources} be manufactured would be knockoff weapons - if you've ever played UFO Aftershock, along similar lines.

Also, I plan to increase reliance on manufacture for everyday supplies, including manufacturing fuel for intermediate fighter craft. I've noticed that, once weapons and tanks are manufactured, technicians go into money farm mode. If I can keep them occupied, it creates incentives for the player to assault crashed subs.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2016, 12:41:24 am by Solarius Scorch »

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #26 on: October 19, 2015, 06:09:46 pm »
@ Mines:
Yeah, I get the idea, but how are you going to implement it?

@Point-blank shots:
Yeah, for a well-trained soldiers indeed "odds are pretty good". But then, so is hitting an enemy 1 tile away with vanilla mechanics.
Frankly, I am very wary of changing such basic mechanics. Are you sure this'll work right? Sorry about doubting your idea, but it completely throws part of the TFTD feel out the window - underwater combat is "supposed" to be slow. What do we get in return?

@Alpha Centauri:
University is very good, maybe the best indeed. But my preferred faction are Gaians, because of their mindworm spam. Or maybe I just like playing hypocritical ecoterrorists. (Or maybe it's the titties.)

@Sonic weapons:
Good solution, not too extreme. And yeah, I have played the best tactical game ever next to X-Com. :) (I recommend the ACM mod by Okim, it improves the game a lot, though it also makes it harder with those invincible Cultists you have to beat early.)

@Manufacturing:
I'm not sure if manufacturing fuel is logical, after all your subs are not unique - there are others, no? And even if they are, I can't believe they use such a unique chemical mix that was invented specifically for the Barracuda.
I understand the problem you're addressing though, and I think much of the buyable technology could be manufactured - like weapons and torpedoes.

Offline Quinch

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #27 on: October 19, 2015, 06:49:13 pm »
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Yeah, I get the idea, but how are you going to implement it?
Just limit the explosion radius to 1 {or 2?} and playtest.

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@Point-blank shots:
Yeah, for a well-trained soldiers indeed "odds are pretty good". But then, so is hitting an enemy 1 tile away with vanilla mechanics.
Frankly, I am very wary of changing such basic mechanics. Are you sure this'll work right? Sorry about doubting your idea, but it completely throws part of the TFTD feel out the window - underwater combat is "supposed" to be slow. What do we get in return?
Again, playtesting. I do have a big variety of weapons, so I want to give each of them a situation where they can excel in.

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@Alpha Centauri:
University is very good, maybe the best indeed. But my preferred faction are Gaians, because of their mindworm spam. Or maybe I just like playing hypocritical ecoterrorists. (Or maybe it's the titties.)
If you like mindworm spam, go for the planet cult. +2 to planet rating, though it depends on how much native lifeforms you set at world creation.

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@Sonic weapons:
Good solution, not too extreme. And yeah, I have played the best tactical game ever next to X-Com. :) (I recommend the ACM mod by Okim, it improves the game a lot, though it also makes it harder with those invincible Cultists you have to beat early.)
I only ever played vanilla. I'll have to dig around a bit for good mods and play it again. It's also one of the few strategy games with a plot that wasn't predictable - I'm hoping to do the same with SAW.

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@Manufacturing:
I'm not sure if manufacturing fuel is logical, after all your subs are not unique - there are others, no? And even if they are, I can't believe they use such a unique chemical mix that was invented specifically for the Barracuda.
I understand the problem you're addressing though, and I think much of the buyable technology could be manufactured - like weapons and torpedoes.
Intermediate subs - Baracuda and Triton don't need anything special, but the Moray and other pre-Manta craft would rely on a Zrbite {aka Uridium}-derived fuel cells.

Offline aquanaut

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #28 on: October 20, 2015, 02:33:32 am »
This sounds like an absolutely awesome mod! I wish you the best of luck with it.

Do you have any plans to add new alien races or ranks?

Offline Dioxine

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Re: [TFTD] Second Alien War {current stage: leaving the starting line}
« Reply #29 on: October 20, 2015, 03:29:36 am »
Just limit the explosion radius to 1 {or 2?} and playtest.

Mines have a detection radius which covers all 8 adjacent tiles. If someone steps inside, the thing goes boom. I guess you could make them less than ideal by limiting blast radius to 1, so if someone steps next to the mine diagonally, the blast will not touch him.